Following more than 12 hours of relentless operations, firefighters successfully brought the massive blaze at Manzur Khan Plaza in Old Dhaka's Chawkbazar area under control at 5:20 AM on Tuesday (October 13, 2026). However, as morning broke, deep anxiety gripped hundreds of traders and godown owners gathered outside the charred seven-story building.

The fire, which originally broke out on the sixth floor on Monday afternoon (October 12) at around 5:04 PM, quickly ravaged wholesale warehouses containing cosmetic products, vanity bags, and travel goods. Ten specialized units of the Fire Service and Civil Defence battled heavy smoke, locked warehouse gates, and narrow Mogeltuli lane constraints throughout the night. While the flames have been subdued, safety restrictions prevent merchants from entering the upper floors, leaving them stranded without knowing whether their life savings and inventory worth millions of takas have survived.

Traders' Anguish: Several business owners voiced frustration over delayed access and heavy losses, noting that individual godowns contained goods valued between BDT 20 lakh to 40 lakh.